Forms, Applications & Resources

Special Events And Outdoor Sales Permits

The Seminole County Land Development Code defines a Special Event as:

A use or activity offered to the general public which is not contemplated in the approved Site Plan or other development approval, and which is generally consistent with the applicable zoning district. Special events shall include gatherings or events, or series of related consecutive daily gatherings or events, including but not limited to, those of an entertainment, cultural, recreational, educational, commercial, social or sporting nature, which occur outdoors on a site.

Section 30.1378(1) of the Land Development Code allows for Special Events in accordance with the following regulations:

(a) Purpose and Intent The Board of County Commissioners finds that special events offered to the general public often attract a large gathering of people which may cause impacts to the public health and safety, requiring appropriate regulations to insure adequate sanitation and sewage disposal facilities, law enforcement, fire rescue personnel and equipment, parking, traffic control and crowd control, and other concerns in the interest of public safety and public health. In enacting this Section, it is the intent of the Board to protect and promote the health, welfare and safety of Seminole County citizens and visitors.

(b) Use Restrictions and General Requirements

1. Special events shall be subject to the permitting provisions of this Section. The special event permit review process is intended to mitigate impacts on surrounding land uses where such impacts were not addressed through prior development approvals on the subject property.

2. Places of worship, public property and public and private elementary, middle and high schools shall be exempt from the requirements of this Section provided that the following conditions are met:

a. The event is occurring wholly within the subject property owned by the public entity, place of worship or school.

b. The event is sponsored by the applicable place of worship, public entity or school.

c. The event will not exceed the following numbers of participants or spectators at any given time:

i. East Rural Area: 200 for the first acre and 25 for each additional acre;

ii. Other areas: 300 for the first acre and 50 for each additional acre.

d. The number of events is limited to twelve (12) per calendar year and no event shall be more than three (3) consecutive days.

e. Off-street parking shall be permitted subject to any conditions recommended by the Seminole County Sheriff’s Department.

f. The event may not have amplification of sound that may be heard beyond the property boundary and must otherwise comply with Chapter 165 of the County Code.

g. The place of worship, public entity or school adequately coordinates with all applicable agencies to ensure the health, safety and welfare of all attendees and Seminole County citizens and visitors.

3. No special event shall be permitted for more than fourteen (14) consecutive days, and no parcel of land shall be permitted to have more than five (5) special events in any 12-month period, unless otherwise authorized by the Board of County Commissioners.

4. At the end of the period for which the special event was permitted, the use shall be discontinued and all temporary structures involved shall be removed and all permanent structures shall be used only as permitted under applicable pre-existing development approvals.

5. Off-premise and on-premise signs may be used to announce, identify or direct attendees to a special event subject to the following requirements:

a. Off-premise signs. Off-site directional signs, not exceeding six (6) square feet, and not exceeding a total of ten (10) signs, may be allowed for each special event for fourteen (14) days prior to and during the duration of the event. The signs may be placed only on private property, with the permission of the property owner. Such signs shall be removed within 24 hours after the special event. A plan for all signs to be placed off-site, announcing or identifying the special event, shall be submitted with the application. Evaluation of this plan shall take into account traffic visibility, visibility of adjacent business signs and/or traffic signs and signals, disturbance to adjacent properties, and other appropriate considerations as determined by the Development Services Director.

b. On-premise signs. A plan for all signs to be placed on-site, announcing or identifying the special event, shall be submitted with the application. Evaluation of this plan shall take into account traffic visibility, visibility of adjacent business signs and/or traffic signs and signals, disturbance to adjacent properties, and other appropriate considerations as determined by the Development Services Director.

6. The sale of admission or seating tickets in excess of the approved attendance shall be prohibited.

7. The operator of the special event shall obtain all required permits and authorizations from all applicable agencies such as the Building Division, Public Works Department, Sheriff’s Office, or other department or agency as needed.

8. Security measures prescribed by the Seminole County Sheriff shall be paid by the event operator or applicant.

(c) Approval

1. Special events expected to draw less than 200 persons as participants or spectators at any time during the event may be administratively approved by the Development Services Director. Special events expected to draw more than 200 persons at any given time may be administratively approved by the Development Services Director or designee where they are located on developed office, commercial, or industrial sites of ten (10) acres or more and have adequate parking and other facilities to support the expected number of participants

In approving any special event, the Development Services Director shall make a determination that the proposed event is reasonably compatible with nearby existing development, and does not pose an unreasonable safety or health risk for patrons or neighbors. The Development Services Director may place conditions on approval of a special event permit as needed to maintain compatibility and promote the health, safety and welfare of Seminole County citizens and visitors.

The Development Services Director may, at his or her discretion, refer any special event permit application to the Board of County Commissioners.

2. Any special event exceeding the scope of those described in paragraph (c)(1) above shall require approval by the Board of County Commissioners.

In approving any special event, the Board shall make a determination that the proposed event is reasonably compatible with nearby existing development, and does not pose an unreasonable safety or health risk for patrons or neighbors. The Board may place conditions on approval of a special event permit as needed to maintain compatibility and promote the health, safety and welfare of Seminole County citizens and visitors.

(d) Application for permit Policies and procedures regarding special event permits shall be available in the offices of the Planning & Development Division. An applicant for a special event permit shall file a written application not less than ninety (90) days prior to the proposed event. The submittal deadline may be extended by the Development Services Director provided there is sufficient time to fully review the proposal.

All special event permit applications shall include the following:

1. Application fee as may be established by the Board of County Commissioners.

7. Description of all recording and/or sound amplification equipment, signs or other attention-getting devices which will be utilized in connection with the event.

8. Description of how security and traffic control will be provided.

9. Any necessary licenses for the serving of food and/or beverages.

10. The following information must be provided on a conceptual site plan not less than 11” x 17” in size:

Areas for the serving of food and/or beverages.

Location(s) of structure(s), including any temporary shelters such as tents.

Points of ingress and egress to the site.

Location of music or other amplified noise source(s) in relation to residential areas.

Location of fireworks or other noise sources.

Location of sanitation facilities.

Location of trash receptacles.

Parking plan.

Pedestrian circulation plan, including travel routes for any shuttle vehicles, demonstrating that traffic/parking areas are safely separated from pedestrians.

Location of medical facilities if required by the Public Safety Director.

11. Additional information as the Board or the Development Services Director may require.

(e) Review Process Upon receiving a completed application, the Development Services Director shall transmit relevant information to other appropriate officials including but not limited to the Building Official, the County Engineer, the Public Safety Director, the Sheriff, and the Environmental Services Director for review. Based on comments from these officials and compliance with this Section, the Development Services Director shall approve or deny the application pursuant to Sec. 30.1378(1)(c)1, or prepare the item for presentation to the Board of County Commissioners for its consideration pursuant to Section 30.1378(1)(c)2. The applicant shall retain responsibility for securing all other necessary permits that may be required in addition to the Special Event Permit. Any decision of the Development Services Director with regard to any special event permit application may be appealed to the Board of County Commissioners for consideration under paragraph (1)(c)2 above. Such appeal must be submitted within fifteen (15) days of notification of a decision by the Development Services Director.

(f) Outdoor sales of merchandise The outdoor sale of merchandise is permitted within any non-residential zoning district but shall require an outdoor sales permit, if such sales were not contemplated in the approved development plan for the subject property. Individual parcels are limited to a maximum of ninety (90) days of outdoor sales per calendar year. Outdoor sales permits may be administratively approved by the Planning and Development Manager. Outdoor sales may not involve amplification of sound that may be heard beyond the property boundary and must comply with Chapter 165 of the County Code. Any decision of the Planning and Development Manager with regard to any outdoor sales permit application may be appealed to the Development Services Director within fifteen (15) days of notification of a decision by the Planning and Development Manager.

In approving any outdoor sales of merchandise, the Planning and Development Manager shall make a determination that the proposed sale is reasonably compatible with nearby existing development. The Planning and Development Manager may place conditions on approval of an outdoor sales permit as needed to maintain compatibility and promote the health, safety and welfare of Seminole County citizens and visitors.

Application for permit.

The following information must be provided on a conceptual site plan not less than 11” x 17” in size:

Location(s) of structure(s), including any temporary shelters such as tents.

Points of ingress and egress to the site.

Location of sanitation facilities.

Location of trash receptacles.

Parking plan.

Pedestrian circulation plan.

The requirements of this Section shall not apply to any event for which a motion picture and television permit has been approved by Seminole County.

(g) Indemnification The special event permit shall contain an appropriate indemnification provision to indemnify, defend, and hold the County harmless from certain acts and omissions of the Applicant or any incident resulting from the special event.

(h) Fee waivers and refunds Requests for fee waivers, reductions, and/or refunds shall be submitted in writing and may be granted only by the Board of County Commissioners.